By Scott Huff
You could almost bet on it
The journey to the PIAA Quad-A District One Playoff finals to be held this Friday night – 7:30 pm @ Walt Snyder Stadium in Newtown – is the ‘gift that keeps on giving’.
North Penn-Neshaminy.“It gives me chills thinking about playing Neshaminy,” said North Penn junior Ralphie Reeves after the Knights handled Council Rock South 28-14 in their semifinal game. “It always has been a great rivalry in the past.”
North Penn defeated the Redskins last season 35-22 and shut out Neshaminy 28-0 in 2008. The last Redskin win in the series came in the 2007 season – 35-0. All three contests were district playoff games.
“North Penn beat us the last two years, and they were tough losses,” said Neshaminy senior Corey Majors after the Skins posted a 33-7 victory over West Chester Rustin in their semifinal game. “We are excited to get another chance.”
Neshaminy (12-1) earned its invitation to the district final with a dominating win over Bayard Rustin (11-2) – the Ches-Mont League American Division champion.
Anthony Woodroffe led the Skins’ rushing attack with a game-high 163 yards on 16 carries. Included in that impressive total was a sensational 55-yard touchdown burst in the second half.
Senior quarterback Charlie Marterella completed six passes. Marterella connected with senior Dwight Williams for a 14-yard score.
Majors – who played a bruising game at linebacker – scored three short-yardage touchdowns for the Redskins.
North Penn (12-1) earned its invitation to the district final with a convincing win over host Council Rock South (11-2) – the tri-champion of the SOL National Conference.
Dominic Taggart scored a pair of touchdowns for the Knights – one on a one-yard run and the other on a six-yard pass reception. Taggart led the team in rushing with 86 yards on 15 carries.
Brandon Mercer scored on a 47-yard TD sprint.
The North Penn passing game was very effective as senior quarterback Corey Ernst completed all 11 of his passes and fired TD strikes to both Taggart and Gerard Wendowski. Wendowski caught seven passes for 82 yards
Council Rock South saw its fine season come to a close with the loss.
Senior quarterback Billy Fleming rushed 21 times for 133 yards that included an eight-yard touchdown run. Mark Damirgian closed out his season with a one-yard touchdown burst.
It was the first playoff appearance for the Golden Hawks in the nine-year school history.
Football Fever – Catch it!
Neshaminy head basketball coach Jerry Devine has the football championship bug.
“The atmosphere around the school about the success of the football team has been great,” said Devine. “I hope that they win both the district title this week, and the state title down the road.”
Devine has an investment in the Redskin football team. No less than four varsity football players – key players – are also going to be important members of the Redskin hoop squad this winter.
Seniors Dwight Williams and Charlie Marterella, along with junior Bobby Marterella and sophomore Justin Andrews will shed the cleats and shoulder pads for sneakers and shorts immediately when the football season comes to an end.
“Everyone on the basketball team has really given us a great deal of support,” said Williams. “(Blue-chip Villanova-bound recruit) Ryan Arcidiacono is our biggest fan.”
“Those guys are still our guys,” said Devine in reference to the four crossover players. “And once they come to us, they will come with an energy and competitiveness that we want.
“For both Bobby and Justin, the experience of playing at that level of football will be a huge plus,” added Devine of his underclassmen. “They will have a mental toughness that will only help them become better basketball players.”
The basketball team will open the season in the Rock the Rim basketball tournament held at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School on December 10 and 11.
The PIAA Quad-A Eastern Final will be held on December 10.
The PIAA Quad-A Finals will be held on at Hershey Park Arena on Saturday December 18 at 5 pm.
All in all – Dwight Williams, the Marterella brothers, and Justin Andrews would rather be in Chocolate Town.
Turkey Day Leftovers – the proof is in the pudding
Harry S Truman (2-10) proved that it could make it to the finish line, but the celebration wasn’t quite what the Tigers had in mind.
Conwell-Egan (1-9) won its first game of the season when the Eagles stunned Truman – 27-13. Truman led 13-8 at the half.
There was a time when the season was in jeopardy for the Tigers when a lack of numbers and injuries might have dictated an end to the season. But the 11 seniors and new head coach Ed Cubbage willed Truman to a completed season.
Derron Thompson was the featured performer on the offensive highlight reel with a pair of touchdown scoring runs. Thompson rushed for a game-high 121 yards.
Hatboro-Horsham (3-9) proved that records really do not mean anything in Thanksgiving Day rival games as the Hatters stunned host Upper Moreland (8-4) – 13-6.
The Hatters entered the game with an eight-game losing streak, while Upper Moreland was coming off a PIAA Class AAA District One Playoff loss to Interboro [7-6].
Hatboro-Horsham scored 13 points in the second period to account for all of its scoring. Senior quarterback Matt Hollenbeck fired a pair of touchdown passes for the winners – one to Casey Saverio and the other to Benji Abercrombie.
The lone touchdown for the Golden Bears came on a 32-yard pass from Matt Sawick to James Norton.
Cheltenham (9-3) proved that it could be competitive with Abington (10-3) even though the Panthers dropped a 16-7 Turkey Day contest to the host Ghosts.
The last meeting between the two schools was in the first round of the PIAA Quad-A District One Playoffs just two weeks ago, and Abington humbled the Panthers 47-7 in that contest.
Cheltenham led 7-0 early in the rematch when Akil Reed scored on a 14-yard run. The Ghosts, though, would score 16 unanswered points.
Julien Ireland – perhaps the finest all-around offensive threat in Suburban One – scored on a six-yard run to knot the score.
Senior place kicker Ian MacMillan would give the Ghosts a 10-7 lead on a 29-yard field goal, while Ireland concluded the scoring for the game – the season – and his career with a 14-yard touchdown dash.
Pennridge (7-5) proved that it could play in the snow as the Rams held off a determined Quakertown (4-8) to defeat the host Panthers – 22-12.
The 81st meeting between the Rams and the Panthers on Thanksgiving morning was played during a persistent snowfall in the first half. Pennridge has now won 50 games in the series with 26 losses and five ties.
Pennridge senior Jesse Knepp concluded his superb scholastic career with 175 yards including two electric TD runs of 63 and 51 yards. Senior Brandon Cope scored on a one-yard run, while senior Dan Caya booted a 25-yard field goal.
Quakertown junior quarterback Zac Gravelle accounted for 280 yards of total offense and a pair of scores. Gravelle rushed for team-high108 yards – including touchdown runs of 14 and 17 yards – and also threw for 172 yards.
Goodbye Coach Helman
Quakertown Community High School showed a great deal of class when it recognized former Pennridge head coach Wayne ‘Pud’ Helman with a moment of silence before the 81st annual Quakertown-Pennridge game on Thanksgiving morning.
Coach Helman died on October 21, 2010, at his home in Perkasie at the age of 84.
Coach Helman coached the Rams to six straight Bux-Mont football titles – which included three unbeaten teams in 1955, 1957, and 1964.
He was inducted into the Pennridge-Quakertown Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a coach at Pennridge and was elected to the Souderton-North Penn Hall of Fame due to his ability as an athlete. Helman was an exceptional athlete and graduated from Lansdale High School High School and also had a fine collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania.
Pennridge won the first game without Coach Helman either on the sideline or in the bleachers for the last 55 years as the Rams defeated host Quakertown – 22-12.
He would have quietly smiled.
Suburban One Sports.com Top Ten + 1
1. North Penn Knights [12-1]
2. Neshaminy Redskins [12-1]
3. Council Rock South Golden Hawks [11-2]
4. Abington Galloping Ghosts [10-3]
5. Central Bucks West Bucks [9-3]
6. Souderton Indians [7-4]
7. Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals [7-3]
8. Cheltenham Panthers [9-3]
9. Upper Moreland Golden Bears [8-4]
10. Pennridge Rams [7-5]
+1 Pennsbury Falcons [5-5]
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